Mid-life crisis. nb

Just remember that you're now the invisible man! I know a biker paramedic who wants to patent a day-glo yellow & green Pan, Hi-viz jacket, blue lights and sirens as camoflage.

I gave my beloved CX500 up after being knocked off twice by people turning out of a line of traffic with no signal and no mirror. Unfortunately I don't bounce as well as I used to...

If I'm honest, the fact that someone offered me a car with lower fuel costs and it was the middle of a wet, cold winter (a bit like now, really), probably had something to do with it.

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Re: What bike (nb)

Honda VFR750F languishing in my garage; Suzuki TS185 (ca. 1975) languishing in a-friend-of-the-bloke-my-brother-used-to-rent-a-house-off's-mate's-shed.

Can't believe how cavalier you can be driving a car, esp. a V*lv* estate. I'd be dangerous on a bike, now.

Andy


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Ah,no Ducati's I see,run a Ducati workshop and guess what I commute on?
Thats right, a ZX9.(tis a long way afterall.)
Al.

<hr width=100% size=1>No dear,the water goes in the other one.
 
Here's one.

Ducati 916. 8 years and circa 24k miles of happy ownership. Always got me home.

Sadly now mostly used for trip to ferry and on to somewhere different in Europe each year. Use the Brompton for commuting.

Roger

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Re: Ah! First mistake

hm, the reflective waistcoat is a bit nerdy.

Main thing is that you go faster than everything around you, so most bikers wham themselves into things, rather than get whammed themselves. When the "ooer I'm going too fast" happens, you are sposed to lose speed by straightened up which allows you to plough on the stoppers, and also to use all the available space for stopping rioght up until the thing you don't want to hit. I did this in Camden high street, lifting off over the bridge at the lock only tio see a pedestrain not far uyp the road, but stopped within a foot of her, but unfortunately she fainted so it looked as though I had knocked her down.

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'......always go diving'

Funny you should mention that - I've just signed up for a PADI refresher dive to update my Open Water ticket because I haven't dived for 10 years. Is this what we do when we reach a 'certain age' - start getting all of our old toys out again?

Model aeroplanes anyone? Lego?

David

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I still get a dive in every couiple of years, but the water has to be a lot warmer than UK. I like to take the camera down when I go, cause the joy for me is looking at the critters. I only go to wrecks because that is where the few fish left around UK try to get some protection!

best dive ever - Busselton Jetty (Western Australia) Some of it is for fishermen, and the rest is a protected area - guess where the fish are!

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Really sorry to hear about that.

Nothing is foolproof on a bike that is for sure, some car drivers cannot see other cars !

I use a yellow top and white helmet (that is what the police and examiners use) and have to say that I very rarely get a "did not see yer mate" incident, unlike my all black acquaintance who regularly curses those who did not see him.

Of course you have to ensure you have eye contact with the drivers of vehicles awaiting to join your carriageway, beware of drivers in lanes who slow down or who can see an advantage in a quick lane swap, and never overtake when there is a right turn in the road.

But overall I have found the stay bright strategy has given me much less grief than the lets be the same colour as the road group.

Again, really sorry about the accident, I am just trying to give the new biker a better batting average so to speak.




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Re: Ah! First mistake

Me too, my first helmet was black !

I woke up to the all black thing being bad, when driving my car aged 21, I pulled into a country lane and the next thing I know there is a biker overtaking, making all sorts of signs at me, as I had not seen him.

It was a bright summer's day and he was driving under trees in the shade with no lights dressed in black on an all black bike.

Now I was a biker myself, and would not knowingly pull out in front of a fellow biker, so I came to the conclusion that being visible was a high priority from that point on.

Nothing is foolproof, as boatless has shown sadly, but the brighter you are, the more chance other drivers have of seeing you.

Those waistcoats are really good, I only wish there was a way of washing them.

You might wish to compare how much easier it is to see a plain white helmet against other helmet colours, given your black bike.

Sorry to go on about this, it's just that my all black biking acquaintance has a lot more "he did'nt see me" stories to tell than I do.

Happy biking !

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Got a 2001 Pan and a 1972 Norton Commando Roadster as a project / something to do when its too cold and wet to work on the boat.

Been back riding for 6 years now. Only one tip I would give you and that is to try for the IAM or ROSPA advanced rider test. Not because there is any kudos (there isnt) but because the process of riding regularly with an observer is an excellent way of systematically improving your skill level and being a bit safer. And its free / very low cost.

<hr width=100% size=1>this post is a personal opinion, and you should not base your actions on it.
 
Wanted a Harly, But ended up with a £500 Viagra, Nearly as good as my bm 1000 rt, befor i got wed. Hmmmmm sell boat buy harly, lets see wot little one says, she's the boss round here?

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.jersey-harbours.com
 
Hate to say this rich, but I can get Viagra at £5 a throw from a local fisherman. PM if it's still a problem.

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James, I really would have thought you would have been more of a Fireblade man. Still yours is probably more fun than my Varadero as you can go round playing policeman. Good practice for when the drink/sail laws come in!!

<hr width=100% size=1>Real men do it 2handed.
 
Cameron

Do you know Johnathon Rarity? He races these things...

Donald

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